Profiling Ernie Leskovitz

by Sharon Robb

Making waves in Hawaii swimming

Ernie Moves To Hawaii:

Sun-Sentinel, February 28, 1997.

Fort Lauderdale's Ernie Leskovitz, a top Masters swimmer and 1996 All-American open water selection from the Florida Gold Coast Hammerheads, has relocated to work with the Waikiki Roughwater Swim Team in Hawaii. In the planning stages is a home series between the teams.

Ernie Sets A New Horizon:

Ernie Leskovitz has been a major competitor in the 55-59 age group. He was 1995 Long Distance All-American, and made the 1995 Long Distance All-Star Team. He was the age group winner in the 1995 4.8-mile Double Waikiki rough water swim and the age group winner in both 1995 and 1996 for the 2.4-mile Waikiki rough water swim. He was 1996 age group winner in the North Shore Hawaii Series (four races, different courses all approximately 2.4 miles).

He's currently training for St.Croix 5.5-mile open water swim, the Miami Mile, the 1996 Waikiki 4.8-mile rough water swim, as well as an upcoming local four race series over the last weekend in December and the first weekend in January. After that he's got the Delray one mile ocean swim, the Hall of Fame annual one mile ocean swim, the Boca Raton one mile ocean swim, and the very rough (given the time of year) Hollywood annual one mile open water swim. All this to celebrate his move into the 60 year old age group on December 18, 1996. Aloha...Maholo...If you're looking for Ernie, look in the water. Happy birthday, Ernie!

Update on Ernie:

by Carl House, published in the October, 1995 issue of the "Florida Gold Coast LMSC News"

Ernie Leskovitz is still kicking butt even though he's moving into the top of his age group. He swam the fastest time in the nation (for his age group) last year in the 200 fly in both SCY and SCM. He also swam the fastest time in the nation in the 100 fly in SCY and the 100 free and 400 IM in SCM. He won the 100 fly and the 200 fly at short course nationals at the Hall of Fame in May and he came in second in the 5K. Ernie had 23 Top Ten times in 1994. And he loves rough water swimming in Hawaii. His 6-man Hawaiian All-Star team came in third in the Maui Channel Swim, making the 10.8 mile swim in three hours and 28 minutes. He set a new record in the Waikiki Rough Water Swim making the 2.4 miles solo in 54 minutes. He'll swim the "double Waikiki" 4.8-mile swim on his 59th birthday on December 18. Good luck, Ernie!